This Earth Cache is located in The
Pine River Nature Center. The Pine River Nature Center's two miles
of trails are open daily from dawn until dusk for public use. Dogs,
horses, bikes and motorized vehicles are NOT permitted on
the trails. These are beautiful trails that if respected, will
reward you with beautiful sights for years to come. Note- You do
not have to leave any trails in order to log this earthcache.
Vernal pools are small pools of
stagnant water that form due to the warm Mediterranean climates of
the Mid-West and West Coast. These ponds gain and lose water
throughout the year. Most ponds go months without any water and
then after all of the spring runoff, they fill up for the summer
season. These ponds vary in size from tiny puddles to small lakes
and are usually found in a gently sloping plain of grassland.
Although generally isolated, they are sometimes connected to each
other by small drainages known as vernal swales. Vernal ponds are
usually insulated on the bottom by either clay or bedrock. This
helps retain the water inside of the ponds. If you were to take a
soil sample, then you would find elevated amounts of clay in this
region. The depth of the vernal pond varies directly with the
season. Typical springs collect water in the pools from the runoff.
During summer the ponds slowly wain and typically run dry during
the Autumn months. They then freeze over, or are snowed over during
winter. The pools collect water during winter and spring rains,
changing in volume in response to varying weather patterns. During
a single season, pools may fill and dry several times. In years of
drought, some pools may not fill at all.
However, appearances may be
deceiving. The unique environment of vernal pools provides habitat
for numerous rare plants and animals that are able to survive and
thrive in these harsh conditions. Many of these plants and animals
spend the dry season as seeds, eggs, or cysts, and then grow and
reproduce when the ponds are again filled with water. In addition,
birds such as egrets, ducks, and hawks use vernal pools as a
seasonal source of food and water. There are over 70 species of
birds that call this Nature Preserve home and if you observe long
enough than you can see some of them appear to feed or fly by. When
I was setting up this earthcache, I noticed 3 different species of
turtles, 3 species of frogs, many species of water bugs, and a
walking stick all in a small section of the pond.
The given coordinates will take you
to the observation deck for the vernal pond. All calculations and
pictures can be taken from the safety of the observation deck.
Logging Requirements:
1. Is there water in the pond? How
deep do you think it is?
2. Estimate the length and the width
of the current state of the pond. And then calculate the volume (L
x W x Depth)
3. Do you see any flora or fauna
around or in the pond? If so describe what you see.
4. (Optional) Take a picture of your
team from inside of the observation deck facing the pond.
5. (Bonus Question) What is in the
middle of the observation deck?
*Placed with permission*
Congrats to Team Namthcof on the FTF!